Song for You
by Papersak
Summary: There was more to her song than lyrics and melody. She had the ability to sing what she felt and what he wanted to feel.


(There are a lot of things that went through my mind in this fic. So many, in fact, I think I'll put the whole Author's note at the end. xP

I suppose one thing to note before you read is I enjoy leaving the reader with freedom to imagine what things are like rather than to know them. The inspiration for this came partially from a scene in Majin Taneti Nougami Neuro, where Aya sings to Neuro. I like how he illustrated the song visually and we were never given any lyrics. The way he showed the song rather than told it was lovely. Neuro just listened to her, trying to understand what human emotions were like, but he couldn't. So you will probably catch those ideas in this fic. x) )

* * *

Zero could never make a request up front. He knew that, to get his wish _his_ way, he would need to work it into a conversation.

Yet... when it came to _her_, even having a conversation to begin with proved to be difficult.

Zero and Alice's slowly budding relationship was supposed to be a secret to everyone else, but it was becoming obvious to the arcade-goers that something was going on. The two of them decided it would be better to see each other more often while away from the blaring music and crowd of nosy friends.

For that reason, the pair was out on what they would eternally deny was a date at one of their favorite locations: the tranquil Revolution Park. They took a walk to the middle of the grassy field. The sun was falling behind the cityscape and people were starting to leave. The evening winds of spring played with Alice's long hair and Zero's styled locks, as well as his furry jacket.

Alice stayed close to Zero. The physical distance between them was much smaller than when they first met. Zero's right hand dangled next to Alice's waist, but she shyly held onto both of her own hands behind her back.

"I noticed you singing last Friday," Zero commented, casually staring out in front of him. After getting no response, he glanced at her from the corner of his eye and saw that she was confused. "While your friends were playing games, you were singing their song."

"Oh, that," she mumbled. "I really like the music from IIDX... I didn't really think anyone could hear me," she confessed, embarrassed.

"I _couldn't_ hear you," Zero told her. "I haven't actually heard you sing off stage..." he trailed off as if he had more to say.

Alice smiled sheepishly. "Did you want me to sing...?"

Zero smiled. It was an expression only she was allowed to see. "If you're willing to."

"Then you should ask."

Zero was surprised at her comeback. This wasn't the submissive girl he first met; Alice gained the ability to voice her opinion a little more.

"All right. Would you sing for me?" It sounded... strange. To make things harder for him, she simply continued to stare him with an innocent smile until he finished his question. He found her a bit pushy... but he continued anyway. "... please?"

She stifled a giggle. Zero noticed this and frowned, offended.

"Of course," Alice answered. "I can't say no to that."

She stepped in front of him and took a deep breath... but she couldn't say anything. Suddenly, her confidence faded and she folded her hands against her chest. She looked to the ground, much like she used to months before. Another wind ruffled her hair and she awkwardly tried to fix it.

"What's the matter?" Zero asked.

"I-I... I don't wanna sound bad," she started. "I know you've heard me on stage before. I didn't mean to make it such a big deal just now... I mean... what should I even sing? What'll sound good without any music or background vocals or-"

"Are you afraid?"

She stopped rambling and looked him in the eyes, intimidated.

He rephrased his question sternly. "Just now, you were able to stand up to me, even if only for a second... and now you're _afraid_ to disappoint me?"

"It sounds kinda silly... doesn't it..." she averted her vision again with her hand then occupied by the fuzzy objects attached to her headband.

"Then you realize there's nothing to be afraid of," he told her, gaining her attention again. The last light of the sun illuminated the light half of his face, and she saw a sort of kindness in his dark eyes.

"Sing whatever comes to mind," he lightly commanded. "Whatever you feel."

She nodded and smiled. Again, Alice inhaled, allowing oxygen to fill her stomach... and softly uttered a few words to a ballad version of one of her pop songs, but the pacing of her words gave it another meaning. She made it more personal this way; no longer was it about a stranger's experiences; it revolved around herself and her own voice... and Zero.

Alice sang the song at its original tempo to begin with, but she steadily slowed down as the song progressed. It was no mistake; she wanted it to be slower. Her once nervous heart was beginning to calm itself. She stopped worrying about anyone judging her, and she could sing how she wanted... how she felt...

Zero listened intently. He knew that song well (though he wouldn't admit it to anyone), and he knew that she was altering it. The lyrics didn't matter to him because it was her voice that made it _her_ song. He tried to understand what she was feeling by the sound of her soothing voice.

Those feelings she conveyed... were so unfamiliar to him.

Perhaps it had been too long since he last tried to open up to someone. Attachment to emotions was something he tried to lose when he became a surgeon. Zero's motivation that evening was not only to hear her sing, but to hopefully feel something she felt... to remember what it was like to put one's heart into something for someone else.

Alice opened her eyes to finish the last chorus. Her gentle song echoed through his ears, and her sapphire orbs and gentle smile awakened him; that song was what finally convinced Zero that he had fallen in love with Alice.

This feeling shocked him. Was he willing to dive into a relationship with her? Was he good enough for her? Would this last or would he hurt her? _Could _she even love a man like him back... someone so cold and heartless?

No, that last question was pointless... she had known him for almost a year... and her affection clearly flowed from her song. It was no longer just a possibility... she really did love him.

She stopped singing without him noticing. He continued to stare at her blankly. His eyes were oddly wide and Alice was concerned. "Zero...?" she mumbled, timidly waving a hand in front of his face.

He blinked and calmed himself down, but he was at a loss for words.

"Thank you for listening," she said. She smiled; there was no need to be afraid of him anymore.

But he didn't smile back. Her song amazed him to the point of where he was overwhelmed by it.

He shook his head. "Sorry, I..." he mumbled, "I had a lot on my mind... that's all. Your song... it was..."

"No, it's okay. I mean... I don't _really_ think you disliked it. You don't have to make up a compliment just to make me feel better, 'cause... you probably don't like to compliment people." She chuckled a little.

He stared at the stump of a tree behind her. "The feelings you put into that song," he started, unsure of where he was going with that statement, "hold onto them."

Alice was sad. "What do you mean?"

"Don't lose what makes you who you are." He felt stupid for getting emotional all of a sudden.

While distracted by the scenery, he was surprisingly pulled into an embrace by the short girl that stood right in front of him. She rested her head in his jacket, unable to see far over his shoulder.

"You asked me out here," she told him comfortingly, "and you listened to me sing. For that, I..."

He returned the hug and wrapped his arms around her small body. He rustled one of his hands through her long, soft hair and held her tightly. He lowered his face next to her head, never wanting to let her go.

_"I love you."_

_

* * *

_(I debated and debated whether or not I would even upload this at all. It was terribly out of character at a lot of times, but the objective was to show how much they had developed and grown since X. I... have not written happy-ending romance like... ever. It's awkward and borderline personal. xP And I don't even know if this is happy. I don't know what this is. It's just weird.

I've concluded I have like... three or four readers, most of which are just happy to read _something_. So I just stopped obsessing over this and posted it anyway, even though it's just... weird to me, in a sappy Twilight way, boo. xP That ending it just... gah, it needed something. xP

I do not like writing kisses. At least not a lot of them. I'm not sure why. Only when it's supposed to be hot or something. Or it depends on what day of the week it is. And um. Yeah. This kind of drained my Zero/Alice writing ideas... if I do, for some crazy reason, write more pairing-centric ZeroAlice, it'll probably occur before this story... I hate writing after they declare their love for each other. The fun is in how the relationships develop awkwardly~)


End file.
